Life of Rear-Admiral John Paul Jones, Chevalier of the Military Order of Merit, and of the Russian Order of St. Anne, &c., &c: Comp. from Hisoriginal Journals and Correspondence: Including an Account of His Services in the American Revolution, and in the War Between the Russians and Turks in the Black Sea

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Walker & Gillis, 1845 - 389 pages

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Page 380 - Teach me to feel another's woe, To hide the fault I see; That mercy I to others show, That mercy show to me.
Page 130 - I was determined to keep the Bon homme Richard afloat, and, if possible, to bring her into port. For that purpose the first lieutenant of the Pallas continued on board with a party of men to attend the pumps, with boats in waiting ready to take them on board in case the water should gain on them too fast. The wind augmented in the night and the next day, on the 25th, so that it was impossible to prevent the good old ship from sinking.
Page 136 - For some days after the arrival of your express, scarce any thing was talked of at Paris and Versailles but your cool conduct and persevering bravery during that terrible conflict. You may believe that the impression on my mind was not less strong than on that of others; but I do not choose to say in a letter to yourself all I think on such an occasion.
Page 129 - ... and commanded by the brave Commodore Richard Pearson. I had yet two enemies to encounter, far more formidable than the Britons, — I mean fire and water. The Serapis was attacked only by the first, but the Bon Homme Richard was assailed by both...
Page 68 - This hard case was mine when, on the 23d of April last, I landed on St. Mary's Isle. Knowing Lord Selkirk's interest with his king, and esteeming as I do his private character, I wished to make him the happy instrument of alleviating the horrors of hopeless captivity, when...
Page 133 - I am in the highest degree Sensible of the Singular attentions Which I have Experienced from the Court of France, Which I Shall remember With perfect gratitude until the End of my Life ; and Will always Endeavour to merit, while I Can, Consistent With my honour, Continue in the public Service.
Page 28 - And we do hereby strictly charge and require all Officers and Soldiers under your command, to be obedient to your orders, and diligent in the exercise of their several duties.
Page 69 - I shall become the purchaser, and will gratify my own feelings by restoring it to you by such conveyance as you shall please to direct. Had the earl been on board the Ranger the following evening, he would have seen the awful pomp and dreadful carnage of a sea engagement, both affording ample subject for the pencil, as well as melancholy reflection for the contemplative mind. Humanity starts back from such scenes of horror, and cannot sufficiently execrate the vile promoters of this detestable war....
Page 122 - This induced me to make a signal for a pilot, and soon afterward two pilot boats came off; they informed me that the ship that wore a pendant was an armed merchant ship, and that a king's frigate lay there in sight, at anchor within the Humber, waiting to take under convoy a number of merchant ships bound to the northward. The pilots imagined the Bon homme Richard to be an English ship of war, and consequently, communicated to me the private signal which they had been required to make. I...
Page 63 - When the officer came on the quarter-deck he was greatly surprised to find himself a prisoner, although an express had arrived from Whitehaven the night before. I now understood what I had before imagined, that the Drake came out, in consequence of this information, with volunteers against the Ranger. The officer told me also that they had taken up the Ranger's anchor. The Drake was attended by five small vessels full of people who were led by curiosity to see an engagement. But when they saw the...

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